A TikTok video capturing Rex Airlines employees having a barbecue on the tarmac at Australia’s Brisbane Airport (BNE) has gone viral, amassing more than 1.3 million views.
The video shows two Rex Airlines ground crew employees using a small electric grill to cook burgers and sausages in the shade beneath a building just off the runway. Their barbecue setup consists of an office chair and a fold-out table, as well as tomato sauce, buns, and butter.
“‘Why’s the flight delayed?'” reads the text on the video, which was uploaded by TikTok user Kirra Colquhoun.
@kirra.colquhoun #fyp #aus ♬ Aussie Bbq Song – Frankie Davidson
However, a Rex Airlines spokesperson emphasized that the staff were on a scheduled meal break and that no flights were disrupted due to the incident.
“The contracted Ground Handling Company who employed the staff involved has been advised of the need to find a suitable location for such events, lest they be misconstrued,” the Rex spokesperson said in a statement given to Australian news site news.com.au.
Despite the online stir, Rex Airlines continues to excel in reliability, topping the on-time departures chart in Australia with 77.8% of its aircraft leaving on a scheduled time in September 2023.
A number of TikTok users have suggested that the grill session was perhaps just an Australian thing.
“This is the most Aussie thing ever, and I’m for it,” TikTok user Maghan Caroline commented.
“My husband worked in Australia for a summer, and they had BBQ and beer on the roof of their office every Friday lunchtime,” another user added.